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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


VERSES 

^0  tfic  ?9c'iinri3  of  t'jc  Tate 

RTCHA EI)  UEYNOLBS. 


\'Prii'>:  Tifi)  Shilliiii/.< 


n.UiNAHU  AMI  FAKLl-y, 

Skinmr-sintt,  L'>ndj\. 


VERSES 


iltcutovi? 


or  Tiir.  r.viE 


RICHARD    REYNOLDS, 


BRISTOL. 


BY  JAMES  MONTGOMERY, 

AUTHOR  OF  Tin:  ^\  \nui:ri;ii  of  surrzKur.AND,  ci^c.  Ac. 


Know  ye  not,  that  thtru  is  a  Prince  ami  :\  Great  Man  f.illen  in  l-rael  t 

U.   Sam.  III.  3S. 


?iontron: 

PRINTr.D  FOR  LONGMAN,  IK  RST,  RF.ES,  ORME,  AND  BROWN, 

r.i'n:ii\<isri:ii-jtuH-. 

IS  16. 


TO 


THE    MEMBERS 


lifynoltro*^  (Tommattoration    ^orifty, 


BRISTOL, 


V  E  R  S  E  S 


\RE  MOST  RESPECTH  LLY  INSCRtBEn, 


BY 


THE  AUTHOR. 


Shrffir/f/,  Ott-obcr  26,  161(3. 


lATRODUCTIOX 


XiiE  Aiillior  has  iiotliiiiLi-  to  say  in  I'avour  of 
tlie  Ibllowiiig  A'crses,  except  thai  tlicy  are  the 
sincere  'rril)ute  of  his  Allectioiis  as  W'll  as  liis 
Mind,  to  the  Christian  A  irtues  of  tl;e  DLceiised. 

Richard  IIeyxolds  was  one  ot'ili','  Sorufi/ 
of  Friends,  l)ut,  as  far  as  human  judgment 
can  extend,  he  was  c)ne  ot'  tliose  wlio  also 
arc  Christians,  not  in  word  only  l»ut  in  deed. 
To  his  Mt  inory  the  inhahirants  of  Bristol  have 
idnady  instituted;  and  max  tlicir  l\)sterit\  ptn'- 
[jetuate  il,  th;'  nohh  st  Monument,  j)rrlia|)s, 
that  ^hui  cN'er  raised  in  lionour  of  his  I'ellow 
Man.  This  ^vill  hi:  sultieiently  exphiined  by 
the  folloAvinu'  advertisement. 

'=  At  a  (;i:Xl' RAJ.  AIEI-yi  JXC  of  the  Inha- 
!>itaiUsof  HlllSTOL,  held  in  the  Cuildhall  of 


8 

that   City,  on   Wednesday,   tlic  2d  October  in- 
stant, 

"  The  Right  Worshipful  the  MAYOR  in  the  Chair  : 

"  It  was  unauiinously  Resolved, 

"  That  in  coiisequence  of  the  severe  loss  which 
Society  has  sustained  by  the  death  of  the  venerable 
RiciiAiin  Revinoi,  DS,and  in  order  to  perpetuate,  as  far  as 
may  be,  tiie  great  and  important  benelitshe  has  conferred 
upon  the  City  of  Rristol  and  its  vicinity,  and  to  excite 
others  to  imitate  the  example  of  the  departed  Philanthro- 
pist, an  Association   be  formed  under  the  designation  of 

'  REYNOLDS'S    COMMEMORATION 
SOCIETY.' 

"  That  tlie  I\l  embers  of  the  Society  do  consist  of  Life 
Subscribers  of  ten  Cuineas  or  u})\vards,  and  Annual 
Subscribers  of  one  Guinea  or  upwards  ;  and  that  the 
object  of  this  Society  be  to  grant  relief  to  persons  in 
necessitous  circumstances,  and  also  occasional  assistance 
to  other  bent^volent  Institutions  in  or  nt  ar  the  City,  to 
enable  them  to  continue  or  increase  their  usefulness,  and 
that  especial  regard  bi;  had  to  tin-  SAMARITAN  SO- 
CIETY, of  which  RlcuAJiu  Rey>olj^s  was  the 
Lo  under. 


•'  Thtil  tlu'  Casts  to  be  •a>>i>tr'(l  and  relieved  be  eii- 
tJrelv  in  the  di-^cretion  ol'  the  Cninniittee  ;  but  it  is  re- 
(■(>niinLn(l(  d  to  them  not  to  grant  an}  rtlirl"  or  assistance 
\vilhont  a  eaietid  in\e^tigation  ol  the  eircnnistances  ol 
each  Ca-e  :  and  that,  in  Imitation  of  the  Example  ot"  the 
InchviiUial  whom  this  S,>ciet_v  i>  designed  to  connnenio- 
rate,  it  be  considered  as  a  sacred  chity  ot"  tlie  Coininittee, 
t(j  the  latest  period  ot"  it^  e\i>teiu;e,  to  be  wholly  unin- 
llneiiced  in  the  chslribution  ol"  its  t"nnds,  by  any  considera- 
ti(jns  (j1"  sect  or  party."' 

'riie  'I'liird  Piece  in  the  ensiiitiu'  Scries,  en- 
titled, •■  //  (lood  Jlcnis  Jlomo/unf."  was  iii- 
teiidvMl  for  a  ti^iirative  veprese'iitation  ot'tliis  stib- 
linic  and  universal  Charity.  The  resemblance 
ouuhl  tn  have  been  snfheiently  ohvions,  witli- 
otit  bcinu'  jxiinted  out  here. 

At  the  ]hd)lie  Meetinu',  mentioned  in  tiie 
tbreuoiirg'  ad\-ertisement.  manv  elo(|iU'nt  Panc- 
c;\rics  \\ere  jinjiionin'ed  on  the  Character  ot" 
llieiiAj;i)  Ji  K  vxo  I.  i)s.  I/(  re  let  his  own 
^\b>rds  nnd  Deeds  --peak  tor  him.  in  a  tew  cases, 
which  were  made  i)id)lic  on  that  ()cca>ion. 


Mr.      r>i"  I  1  I.  II  wo  i;  rii ,     ol      Loik/o)/.      said  : 
"  When   the    lirst    subscrij)tion    was  opened   to 


10 

relieve  the  distress  in  Germany,  1  took  some 
part  in  that  Institution.  Being  in  Bristol  soon 
afterwards,  1  had  some  conversation  with  Mr. 
Reynolds  on  the  subject.  lie  made  many 
judicious  observations  and  inquiries  as  to  the 
nature  of  the  distress,  and  the  best  mode  of  dis- 
tribution, wliich  served  as  valuabh:;  liints  to  the 
Committee  in  London.  He  then  modestly 
subscribed  a  moderate  sum  wjlh  his  name  ;  luit 
shortly  after,  the  Committee  received  a  blank 
letter,  having  the  post  mark  of  Bristol,  and  en- 
closing a  Bank  of  England  bill  for  Five  Hundred 
Pounds." 

Dr.  Pole  g-ave  the  following-  account : — ■ — 

"  It  is  v^ell  known,  that  he  made  it  his  con- 
stant ])ractice  from  religious  ])rinciple,  annually 
to  spend  the  whole  of  his  income.  What  his 
moderate  domestic  esta1)lishment  did  not  re- 
quire, he  disposed  of  in  subscriptions  and  dona- 
tions for  promoting  whatever  was  useful  tO' so- 
ciety, as  well  as  to  lessen  the  sufferings  of  the 
afflicted,  without  regard  to  names,  sects,  or 
parties.  At  one  particular  time,  (if  1  am  rightly 
informed,)  he  wrote   to  a  friend  in  London,  ac- 


11 

(|iiaiiiting  liim  tlrar  lit  had  not,  tliatycar,  spent 
the  whoh'  ot"  his  income,  re^iuc^tinu'  that  it"  he 
knew  (')i'  an\'  ])arlienlai'  (\ises  c  laiminu  eliarital)le 
rehet,  lie  Mtnikl  l)e  uhui  to  he  intoi'iiud.  His 
iVieiid  coinnmnieated  to  liiin  the  (h>lre>sing- 
situation  ot'  a  con^iderahle  nuniher  of  persons 
•  •onlined  in  a.  certain  }Mi>on  lor  small  dehis. 
What  (hd  this  humane  and  liencrous  IMiilan- 
thro})ist  do  on  this  re])re<entation  ?  He  cleared 
the  Avholeot  their  dcltts.  He  s\\-e|)t  this  direful 
inansion  of  all  its  miserahK:  tenants.  J  It' 0|iened 
the  prison  door<,  j^roclainied  deli\erance  to  the 
captives,   and  let  the  opjjressed  uo  tree/' 

Dr.  Stock  >aid,  tliat  he  liad  heard  from  what 
he  considered  yood  aulliority,  the  })articiilars  of 
an  act  of  princely  ]i])eralily.  mentioned  l>y  a 
Lrentleman  hetore  him. 


"  yh\  lleynolds,  at  the  i)eriod  alluded  to, 
(17ii.3.)  residtxl  at  Coalbrook  Dale.— He  ad- 
dressed a  letter  to  some  fri(_'nds  in  London,  stat- 
ing- the  iuipression  made  ujion  hi.>  mind,  by  tlie 
distresses  of  the  communily,  and  desiring  that 
they  Mould  draw  upon  him  ti.r  such  sum  as 
tliey  might  think  proper.     They  complied   with 


12 

Ills  request,  and  drew,  in  a  very  short  time,  to 
the  extent  of  Eleven  Thousand  Pounds.  It 
appeared,  hoAvever,  that  they  had  not  yet  taken 
due  measure  of  his  hherality  :  for  I'li  the  course 
of  a  few  months,  he  again  wrote,  stating,  that 
his  mind  was  not  easy,  and  his  coffers  were  still 
too  full.  In  consequence  of  which  they  drew 
for  Nine  Thousand  Pounds  more!" 

Mr.  Stephen  Prust  told  this  characteris- 
tic anecdote:  "Mr.  Reynolds  having  applied 
to  a  Gentleman  whom  he  thought  rich,  but 
who  was  really  only  in  circumstances  of  medio- 
crity, to  stimulate  him  to  give,  made  use  of  the 
followino-  argument :  '  When  ffold  encircles  the 
heart  it  contracts  it  to  such  a  degree,  that  wo 
ffood  can  issue  from  it ;  but  when  the  pure  gold 
of  Taith  and  Love  gets  into  the  heart  it  expands 
it,  so  that  the  last  drop  of  life  blood  will  flow 
into  any  channel  of  benevolence.' " 

The  following  pleasing  circumstance  comes 
from  the  same  authority.  '•  A  Lady  applied  to 
him  on  behalf  of  an  Orphan.  After  he  had 
given  liberally,  she  said,  '  When  he  is  old 
enough,  1  will  teach  him  to  name  and  thank  his 


HLMict'actor.' — '  Stoj),  (said  the  (Jood  Man.) thou 
art  mistaken — ^^c  do  not  thank  the  clouds  for 
the  rain.  Teach  him  to  k^ok  liij^lier,  and  tliank 
IIIM    who    iiivetli    jjotli    the   clouds    and    the 


The  Ilev.  William  Thorpk,  in  the  course 
of  a  most  impressive  speech,  rekated  a  circum- 
stance which  strikingly  exemplifies  the  humi- 
lity of  this  excellent  man: 

*'  So  far  was  he  from  being  inflated  with  the 
])ride  of  wealth,  that  he  spoke  the  genuine  sen- 
timents of  his  heart,  when  he  said  to  a  Friend 
who  apj)lied  to  him  with  a  case  of  distress, 
'  My  tak'ut  is  the  meanest  of  all  talents, — a 
little  sordid  dust  ;  but  the  man  in  the  parable, 
who  had  but  one  talent,  Avas  accountable  ;  and 
for  the;  talent  that  I  possess,  humble  as  it  is, 
1    am   also   accountable    to   the   great  Lord  of 

LL. 

A  simple  but  noble  Monument,  from  the 
Association  of  illustrious  Names,  was  erected 
to  th(^  Honour  of  Uiciiakj)  Ulyxolds,  dur- 
ing his  life-time,  by  one  of  his  most  favoured 
Friends,  who  entered  into  rest  long  before  him. 


14 

On  hearing  of  Lord  Nelson's  Victory  at  Trafal- 
gar, the  late  worthy  .Mr.  John  BrRxn.L,  of 
Bristol,  placed  a  marhlc  Tahlet,  in  a  private 
Chapel,  in  his  dwelling  honse,  bearing  this  In- 
scription : 

JOHN  HOWARD. 

JONAS  HANWAY. 

JOHN  FOTllEllGILL,  M.  D. 

RICHARD  REYNOLDS. 

"Not  unto  us,   O  Lord!  not  unto  us,  but  unto  Thy 

Name,  be  the  glory." 

Beneath  some  ample  hallow'd  dome, 

The  Warrior's  bones  are  laid, 
And  blazon'd  on  the  stately  torn!) 

His  martial  deeds  display 'd. 

Beneath  an  humlder  roof  we  place 

This  monumental  stone, 
To  names  tlie  poor  sliall  ever  bless, 

And  (Charily  shall  own  : 

To  soften  human  woe  tlieir  care, 
To  feel  its  sigh,  to  aid  its  prayer  : 
Their  work  on  eartli,  not,  to  destroy; 
And  their  reward — their  iMastei's  joy. 

Finally,  ''  mark  the  })erfcct  man,  and  behold 
the  upright:  for  the  end  of  that  man  is  peace," 
as  the  annexed  authentic  document  will  testify. 


''Sept.    14,   \^]ii.—Mi:M()RI\nVMri'>pccrui^^  the 
laic  11 K  IIA  R  I)   R  /:  ISOLDS. 

"  In  llic  ^J)l■i^g•  of  tlii^  y«"'i'',  I'i-  anxious  Incuds  lliouglit 
tliev  saw  in  his  counttiiaiuT  iiidicalKr.i--  <>1'  ili'cliiuiig  luallli ; 
he  was  ini'.etil,   about  tlii-  lime,  iVt.  (^luutty  L(iini)lainiiig  ot 
weakness  ami  lo-s   ol'  appitilr.      In  May  \\c  was  \Liy  un- 
well  from   a   coUi;   l>ut  hail   mai  iy  neovc  rrtl  it,   when  a 
bilious  attack  reduced  him  con-ideiabl},  and  did   xnA  pei- 
manentlv  vicld  to  medi<al  skill.     Seeing  this,  he  was  urged 
to  try   the  ^\aters  at  Cheltenham;    towliich  he  submitted, 
evidently  to  satisf\-  his  fiiend>  ;   for  his  mmd  \\as  lixed  on 
the   jMobability,    that  the  com])laint   would   t(  rnimate  his 
earlhlv  pilgrimage,   and  with   this   view  he  tVe(piently  ex- 
pressed  liimself  (juite  satislied,   having   brought  his  mind 
to  a  depi  nihuice  only   on   the   ^^ercy   of  G'mI  in   Christ 
Jesus.      JJe  Went    to    Cheltenham    the    7th    .August;   -anti 
continued,  witii  but   little  variation   as  to  his  chscjrder,  till 
Fridav  the  Gdi  Septend)er — ('walking  and  riding  out  every 
day,   and   even  drning  the  cruriage  himself,   accompanitxl 
bv  ln>  daughter   or  cousin  onl\  ),  on  which  dav  he  walked 
cut  before  Ijreaklast ;  but  soon  after  became  much  wtaker; 
and  towards  e\enmg  declined  rapidlv.      On  Suiidav,huw- 
ever,   he  revived  so  much  'as    to  give    hope    that  it  would 
be  pos-ible   to    remove  him  to  Bristol  the-  next  dav, — the 
prospect   of  which    had   beloie  ajipearcd  to  be  aLireeablc 
to   liim.      But   these   hopes   were   ihsa])poinled ;   he    -unk 
again    in   the    course  of  that   night  never  to  ie\ivc.      For 
many  yeai<,   he  had  not  been  confined  to  his  betl  a  whok' 
day;  and   during  this    illnc-^-s,  he  got  u])  and  sat  at   table 
Nvith   the    family   at   all   theif  meals,  till  Monday,  his  last 


10 

day,  when  lie  was  induced  by  his  friends  to  lie  in  bed  till 
the  afternoon ;  then  he  arose,  drank  tea  with  them  in 
another  room,  and  went  to  bed  at  his  usnal  time.  At  live 
o'clock  next  morning,  an  alteration  for  the  worse  appear- 
ing in  his  breathing,  some  of  his  relatives,  who  had  retired 
for  a  while,  were  called  to  him;  but  none  of  them  thought 
his  end  so  near.  lie  had  before  desired  that  his  daughter 
would  be  with  him  at  his  close;  and  now  aljout  six  o'clock, 
raising  himself  a  little,  he  signified  that  she  should  go  to 
the  other  side  of  the  bed  ;  when,  tin  ning  on  his  side,  and 
taking  her  hand  in  his,  and  j)ressiiig  it,   he   quietly,  and 

almost  imperceptibly,  expired  ! A  silence,  which  can 

liardly  be  described,  pervaded  the  room ;  no  one  quitting 
the  awful  scene  for  more  than  an  hour.  This  was  the  lOlh 
of  September,  1816.  '  Know  yc  not  that  there  is  a 
Prince  and  a  great  Man  fallen  this  daij  in  Israel  ?'' 

"  A  few  days  previously  to  this  event,  after  something 
consolatory  had  been  ministered  by  an  endeared  female 
Friend,  he  said,  '  IMy  Faith  and  Hope  are,  as  they  have 
'  long  been,  on  the  Mercy  of  G  ojj,  through  J  i.s us  Christ, 
*  who  w  as  the  propilialion  foi-  my  sins,  and  not  for  mine 
'  only,  but  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.' 

"  During  his  illness,  he  was  exceedingly  placid,  and 
kind  to  every  body:  his  countenance  and  conduct  indi- 
cating tliat  all  wiUiiii  was  p-.  ace.  No  alarm,  no  regret, 
at  leasing  u  world  in  which  no  one  perhaps  had  more  of 
its  real  blessings  to  relimiuisli — the  love,  the  veneration, 
of  all  around  him;  but  on  the  contrary,  a  willingness  to 
yield  up  his  Spirit  to  llim  who  gave  it,  and  had  sinictiiied 
it  by  the  blood  of  the  llcdecmer." 


I. 
srijf  Statifj  of  tJjt  liisljtcotts. 


1  HIS  placo  is  holy  ground  ; 

Woi  111,  with  thy  cares,  aw  ay  ! 
J^iknce  and  tlarkncss  rcigii  around^ 
]*)iit,  h)!    the  l)reak  of  day  : 
\\  hut  bright  and  sudden  chiw  a  appears, 
To  shine  u})on  tliis  scene  of  tears  r 

"Tis  not  the  inoriiing-hghf. 

That  wakes  the  hn  k  to  sniij ' 
'Trs  not  a  niet((>r  of  the  night, 
Xor  track  of  ang(T>  wing: 
It  IS  an  nncrealeil  Ijeain, 
Ijike  tiiat  wliich  bhune  on  Jacob's  (heani 

u 


18 

Eternity  and  Time 

Met  for  a  moment  here; 
From  earth  to  heaven,  a  scale  subhmc 
Rested  on  either  sphere, 
Whose  steps  a  saintly  iigure  trod, 
By  Death's  cold  hand  led  home  to  God. 

He  landed  in  our  view. 

Midst  flaming  hosts  above ; 
Whose  ranks  stood  silent,  while  he  drew 
Nigh  to  the  throne  of  love, 
And  meekly  took  the  lowest  seat, 
Yet  nearest  his  Redeemer's  feet. 

Thrill'd  with  ecstatic  awe, 

Entranced  our  spirits  fell, 
And  saw — yet  m  ist  not  what  they  saw  ; 
And  heard — no  tongue  can  tell 
What  sounds  the  ear  of  rapture  caught, 
Wliat  glory  flU'd  the  eye  of  thought. 

Thus  far  above  the  pole, 

On  wings  of  mounting  tire, 
Faith  may  pursue  tlie  enfranchised  sou!, 
Rut  soon  her  pinions  tire  ; 
It  is  not  given  to  mortal  man 
Eternal  n)vsterics  to  scan. 


—  Ikliold  the  Ik'iI  of  (k:itli  ; 
This  [):ilc  and  lowly  clay; 
Ilcaul  yc  the  sob  of  [)arthig  breath  ? 
Mark'il  ye  the  eye's  hist  ray  ? 
No  ; — ht'e  so  sw  eetl  Y  ceased  to  be, 
It  hipscd  ill  iminoitality  . 

Could  tears  revive  the  dead, 

Kivers  should  swell  our  eyes; 
Could  sighs  rccal  the  spirit  lied, 
^^  e  would  not  ([ueneli  our  sighs, 
Till  love  relumed  this  alter'd  mien. 
And  all  the  embodied  soul  were  seen. 

Jjuiy  the  dead  ; — and  ^\eep 
In  stillness  o'er  the  loss  ; 
}][{]■}  the  dead; — in  Christ  f/iei/  sleep, 
\\  ho  bore  on  earth  his  cross, 
.And  tidni  the  grave  their  dust  siiall  rise, 
III  his  own  image  to  the  skies. 


r.  ^i 


21 


11. 

Cfjt  iWtmory  of  tijc  ^n&U 


Strike  a  louder,  loftier,  lyre; 

Bolder,   sw  eeter  strains  em})lov  ; 
Wake,   lleniemljrance  ! — and  inspire 

Sorrow  with  the  song  of  jo\. 

Who  was  J  le,   for  whom  our  tears 
Flow'd,  and  will  not  cease  to  tlow 

— Full  of  honour^  and  of  vear^, 
In  the  tlu>t  iiis  head  lies  low. 

Yet  rcsinsient  from  liie  tliist. 
Springs  aloft  his  mighty  name  ^ 

For  the  memory  of  the  Just 
Lives  in  everlastiuii  fame. 


22 

lie  was  One,  whose  open  face 
Did  his  inmost  heart  reveal ; 

One,  who  wore  with  meekest  grace, 
On  his  forehead,  Heaven's  broad  seal. 

Kindness  all  his  looks  express'd, 

Charity  m  as  every  word  ; 
Ilim  the  eye  beheld,  and  bless'd  ; 

And  the  ear  rejoiced  that  heard. 

Like  a  patriarchal  sage, 

Holy,  humble,  courteous,  mild, 
He  could  blend  the  awe  of  age 

With  the  sweetness  of  a  child. 

As  a  cedar  of  the  Lord, 

On  the  height  of  Lebanon, 
Shade  and  shelter  doth  afford. 

From  the  tempest  and  the  sun  : — 

While  in  green  luxuriant  prime, 
Fragrant  airs  its  boughs  difl'use, 

From  its  locks  it  shakes  sublime, 
O'er  the  hills,  the  morning  dews. 

Thus  he  liourish'd,  tall  and  strong, 
Glorious  in  perennial  health; 

Thus  he  scatter'd,  late  and  long. 
All  his  plenitude  of  wealth. 


\\'e;iltli,  wliich  prodigals  had  decni'd 
A\'ortli  llio  souT-s  luicouulnl  cost ; 

Wtaldi,  which  iiiiscis  liad  esteeni'd 
Cheap,  tliougli  heaven  itself  were  lost. 

Tliis,  uith  free  unsparing  hand, 
To  the  poorest  child  ot'  need, 

This  he  threw  around  the  land, 
Like  the  sower's  precious  seed. 

In  the  world's  great  harvest  day, 
lively  grain  on  every  ground, 

Siony,  thorny,  by  the  way, 

Shall  an  hundred  fold  be  found. 

Yet,  like  noon's  refulgent  l)lazc, 

Tiiongh  he  shone  from  east  to  west, 

Far  withdrawn  ironi  i)ublic  gaze, 
Secret  goodness  pleased  him  best. 

As  the  sun,  retired  from  siglit, 

Through  the  purple  evening  gleams, 

Or,  unrisen,  clothes  the  night, 
In  the  morning's  golden  beams: 

Thus  beneath  the  horizon  dim, 
lie  would  hide  his  radiant  hea  d, 

And  on  eyes  that  saw  not  him, 
Lisilit  and  consolation  shed. 


21 

Oft  his  silent  spirit  went. 

Like  an  angel  from  tlie  throne, 

On  benign  connnissions  bent, 
In  the  fear  of  God  alone. 

Then  tlic  widow's  heart  would  sing, 
As  she  turn'd  her  wheel,  for  joy  ; 

Then  the  bliss  of  hope  would  spring 
On  the  outcast  orphan  boy. 

To  the  blind,  the  deaf,  the  lame. 

To  the  ignorant  and  vile, 
Stranger,  captive,  slave,  he  came 

With  a  welcome  and  a  smile. 

Help  to  all  he  did  dispense, 

Gold,  instruction,  raiment,  food; 

Like  the  gifts  of  Providence, 
To  the  evil  and  the  good. 

Deeds  of  mercy,  deeds  unknown. 

Shall  eternity  record, 
^Vhich  he  durst  not  call  his  own. 

For  he  did  them  to  the  Lord, 

As  the  Earth  puts  forth  her  flowers, 
1  leaven-ward  breathing  from  below  ; 

As  the  clouds  descend  in  sliowers. 
When  the  southern  breezes  blow . 


23 

Thus  Ills  ienovat(  (1  miiul, 

A\  arm  with  j)urc  cclchtial  love. 

Shed  its  intliiL'ucc  on  mankind, 
A\  Inlc  its  liupt.s  aspired  above. 

Full  of  faith  at  length  he  died, 
And  victorious  in  the  race, 

W  on  the  crown  ior  which  he  vied, 
—  Not  of  merit,  but  of  grace. 


27 


III. 


The  pyre,  tliat  burns  tlic  aged  Bramhi's  bones, 
Runs  cold  m  blood,  autl  issues  liviui;-  groans, 
Wlieii  the  whole  llaraiu  with  the  husband  dies, 
And  ilemons  dance  arounil  the  sacrilice^ 

In  ravage  realms,  wJien  tyrants  yield  their  breath, 
llertU,  flocks,  and  slaves,  attend  their  lord  m  death; 
Arin^,  chariots,  carcases,  ;i  luMrid  heap, 
Ru-t  at  his  side,  or  share  his  niouldeiing  sleep. 

When  heroes  fall  triunij)lianl  on  llu-  plain  ; 
For  nidlions  con([Ui  r'd,  aiui  ten  thousands  slain, 
For  cilits  levell'd,  kingd(jnis  drenchd  in  blood, 
Navies  unnihiluled  ou  the  llood; 


28 

— The  pageantry  of  public  grief  requires 
The  splendid  homage  of  heroic  lyres  ; 
And  genius  moulds  inipassion'd  brass  to  breathe 
The  deathless  spirit  of  the  dust  beneath. 
Calls  marble  honour  from  its  cavern'd  bed, 
And  bids  it  live — the  proxy  of  the  dead. 

Reynolds  expires,  a  nobler  chief  than  these  ; 
No  blood  of  widows  stains  his  obsequies ; 
But  widows'  tears,  in  sad  bereavement,  fall, 
And  foundling  voices  on  their  father  call : 
No  slaves,  no  hecatombs,  liis  relics  crave. 
To  gorge  the  worm,  and  crowd  his  quiet  grave ; 
But  sweet  repose  his  slumbering  ashes  lind, 
As  if  in  Salem's  sepulchre  enshrined ; 
And  watching  angels  waited  for  the  day. 
When  Christ  should  bid  them  roll  the  stone  away. 

Not  in  the  fiery  hurricane  of  strife, 
'Midst  slaughter'd  legions,  he  resign'd  his  life; 
But  peaceful  as  the  twilight's  parting  ray. 
His  spirit  vanish'd  from  its  house  of  clay, 
And  left  on  kindred  souls  such  power  imprest. 
They  seem'd  with  him  to  enter  into  rest. 
Hence  no  vain  pomp,  his  glory  to  prolong, 
No  airy  immortality  of  song ; 
No  sculptured  imagery,  of  bronze  or  stone, 
To  make  his  lineaments  for  ever  known. 


29 

Reynolds  requires  : — liis  labours,  nnrits,  name, 

Demand  a  nioninnent  of  sur<'r  fume ; 

Not  to  record  and  |)rar><e  his  virtues  jxnt, 

But  shew  lliem  liviiiii,  wliile  the  worhi  sliall  last; 

Not  to  bewail  one  lievnolds  snalehl  iVom  earth, 

But  give,  in  every  age,  a  llevnolils  birth  ; 

In  every  age  a  Reynolds ;   l>orn  to  >tand 

A  prince  auKMig  the  worthies  of  the  land, 

By  Nature's  title,  written  in  his  face: 

INIore  tlian  a  Prince — a  sinner  saved  by  grace, 

Promi)t  at  his  meek  and  lowly  Master's  call 

To  prove  himself  the  minister  of  all. 

BRISTOL  !  to  thee  the  eye  of  Albion  turns; 
At  thought  of  thee  thy  country's  sj)irit  burns ; 
For  in  thy  walls,  as  on  her  dearest  ground, 
Are  "  British  minds  and  British  manners"  found: 
And  'midst  the  wealth,  which  Avon's  waters  pour 
Brom  (nery  clime,  on  thy  conunercial  iiiiore, 
Thou  hast  a  native  mine  of  worth  untold ; 
Thine  heart  is  nut  encased  in  rigid  goUi, 
Witiier'd  to  mununy,  steeld  aganisl  distress; 
No — -free  as  Severn's  waves,  that  spring  to  bless 
Their  parent  iiills,  but  as  they  roll  expand 
In  argent  beauty  lino  a  lovelier  land, 
And  widening,  biightening  to  the  western  sun. 
In  Hoods  of  glory  thro'  thy  channel  run; 


80 

Thence,  mingling  with  the  boundless  tide,  are  huiTd 

111  Ocean's  chariot  round  the  utmost  world: 

7  luis  i\o\v  tliine  heart-streams,  warm  and  uncoufnied, 

At  homo,  abroad,  to  woe  of  every  kind. 

Wordiy  wert  tliou  of  Reynolds; — worthy  he 

To  rank  the  hrst  of  Britons  even  in  thee. 

Ueynolds  is  dead; — thy  lap  receives  his  dust 

Until  the  resurrection  of  the  just : 

Reynolds  is  dead  ;  but  while  diy  rivers  roll, 

Immortal  in  thy  bosom  live  his  soul  ! 

Go,  build  his  monument:- — and  let  it  be 
Firm  as  the  land,  but  open  as  the  sea. 
Low  in  Jus  grave  the  strong  foundations  lie, 
Yet  be  the  dome  expansive  as  the  sky. 
On  crystal  pillars  resting  from  above, 
Its  sole  supporters — a'o/7cs  of  faith  and  love; 
So  clear,  so  pure,  that  to  the  keenest  sight, 
They  cast  no  shadow  :  all  within  be  light : 
No  walls  divide  the  area,  nor  enclose; 
Charter  the  whole  to  every  wind  that  blows  ; 
Then  rage  the  tempest,  flash  the  lightnings  b]ti(>, 
And  thunders  roll, — they  })ass  unharniing  through. 

()n(!  sini[)le  altar  in  the  midst  be  ])laced, 
With  this,  and  only  this,  insciiption  graciMJ, 
The  song  of  angels  at  Innnanuel's  birth, 
"  Glory  to  God!  good-will,  and  peace  on  earth." 


31 

There  be  thy  diileous  sons  a  tribe  of  priests, 
Nut  ottering  ineense,  nor  tlie  bhxxl  of  beasts, 
But  with  tlieir  gilts  upon  that  altar  spread; 
—  Health  to  the  sick,  antl  to  the  hungiy  bread, 
Benelicence  to  all,  their  hands  shall  deal, 
A\  ith  Reynolds'  single  eye  and  hallow'd  zeal. 

Pain,  want,  misfortnne,  thither  shall  repair; 
Folly  and  vice  reclaini'd  shall  worship  there 
The  Goil  of  him — in  whose  transcendant  mind 
Stood  such  a  temple,  free  to  all  mankind  : 
Thj/  God,  thrice-lionour'd  city  !  bids  thee  raise 
That  fallen  temple,  to  the  end  of  days : 
Obey  his  voice;   fulfil  thine  high  intent; 
— Yea,  be  thyself  the  Good  Man's  Monument ! 


'*ee«e«^'y%i«<tf^ 


.VM»fl-1    Sliul,   l.vndu<t. 


WORKS 

PUBLISHED  BY  JAMES  MOyTCOMERY 


The    WANDERER    of    SWITZERLAND,    and 
other  POEMS.     Seventh  Edition.     6^.  Boards. 

The  WEST  INDIES,  and  otlicr  POEMS.    Fourth 
Edition.     Qs.  Boards. 

The    WORLD    before    the    FLOOD,    and   other 
POEMS.     Fourth  Edition,     ijs.  Boards. 


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